Still Alive
by snowsgirl
Summary: After Gilbert dies, Ludwig is forced to move on. Over time, he finds out that his brother's spirit is still with him. Literally.


De-anon from the kink meme. The original request is as follows:

"Everyone knows that when the wall fell Prussia was going to die a year later, however only Germany was there to witness the death.

When the others see Germany, they notice that he is acting a bit like his brother, probably to carry on his spirit. What they don't know is that Prussia is sharing Germany's body and can control it, with Germany allowing this.

I want to see how other react when Germany starts to act like an ass, even going as far as to laugh like his brother and dress like him.

Bonus: if you make this Germancest, please allow smut (you figure it out ;D)"

* * *

><p>The first time Ludwig heard his brother's voice, he could have sworn he was going insane. 1997. It was five years since he died in 1992, at the time.<p>

It soon became apparent that Gilbert's voice was real, and Ludwig learned that his brother was still with him. Quite literally. His body had somehow become the vessel for Gilbert's soul. It was definitely weird, but Ludwig was… almost happy to know that his brother was alive, more or less.

For five years, Gilbert tried to reach Ludwig. He wasn't strong enough. Now, in 2011, not only could he freely communicate with Ludwig (sometimes much to his dismay), but Gilbert could sometimes, a little at a time, control Ludwig's body. He was getting much better, but he couldn't do anything very easily without his brother's consent. Ludwig's will was much stronger than his own.

Little by little, Gilbert's personality was beginning to show through Ludwig, and at the worst times, too.

"Ludwig!" Roderich was saying. "Did you hear me or not? Our bosses may want us to have a closer relationship, but if you're not interested, I will gladly take my things and leave."

"I heard you already, you dumb priss!" snapped Ludwig. "Don't get your panties in a bunch!"

In the back of Ludwig's mind, Gilbert was laughing triumphantly to himself. _Someone__'__s __taking __after __me, __after __all! Don't confuse __him, __Gilbert, __this __is __hard __enough __already __without __your __interruption._

Roderich gaped at Ludwig, whose face had gone all but blank. "Excuse me?"

Ludwig shook his head quickly. "Sorry… please bear with me… Gilbert is not behaving himself today."

"Ah, yes. Gilbert," Roderich sighed sympathetically.

Of course Roderich didn't believe him. Ludwig had not been the same ever Gilbert had died, and now he believed he was channeling his brother's spirit… or something to that effect.

"Well, tell 'Gilbert' that we all miss him very much," Roderich offered.

_Go __to __hell!_snarled Gilbert.

"He can hear you," said Ludwig simply.

"Ah? What did he say?"

"He said 'go to hell,'" replied the German, frowning. "Sorry."

Roderich gave another sigh and set down his coffee cup. "Ludwig… Gilbert is dead."

"…Yes, I know."

_I__'__m __right __here! __I__'__m __still __alive!_

_…__Sometimes, __I__'__m __not __so __sure._

"…Would you please consider getting help?" asked Roderich. "I hate to see you struggle with this loss. I miss him too, but… Ludwig, this isn't safe."

"Then why did you let it happen?" snarled Gilbert, standing up and gripping Roderich by his collar. "You hated me! Don't you dare give me that shit! And Ludwig doesn't need your damn sympathy, either!"

"This is exactly what I was talking about." Roderich's hands met Ludwig's his voice becoming more urgent. "It's all in your head."

"Don't you fucking call my little brother crazy!" hissed Gilbert, shaking as Ludwig tried to force him back to his corner. "I'll break that pretty little nose of yours!"

_Unacceptable! __Bruder, __if __you __won__'__t __give __me __control, __at __least __let __him __go. __You __would __think __I __was __crazy __too, __so __you __can__'__t __blame __him._

"Ludwig, your eyes!" Roderich said suddenly, pointing.

Gilbert released his grip on Roderich, and the Austrian crashed to the floor. "What about them?"

"They… look just like Gilbert's," came the shaky response, dusting himself off as he stood.

Gilbert chose not to insist "I am Gilbert!" and get Ludwig into further trouble. Instead, he glanced in the decorative mirror hanging on the wall between two doors. Sure enough, despite the fact that it was still Ludwig's face that met his gaze, the wonderfully blood red eyes were definitely Gilbert's own, and a very welcome sight, indeed. "Ha! So they are! Hey, West, did you know they did that?"

_Don__'__t __talk __to __me __out __loud! __He __already __thinks __I__'__m __crazy! __And __as __far __as __I __know, __they __didn__'__t __use __to. __I __guess __you__'__re __getting __stronger._

"Still! This is so awesome! Maybe everyone will believe us now!"

_Shut __up! __Bruder, __do __you __know __they __have __colored __contacts __now? __No __one __will __believe __us._

"What do you think, little master?" asked Gilbert, turning back to Roderich, who was casually sipping at his coffee, already trying to forget what was happening. "Do you think it's really me now?"

"That's a good trick, Ludwig. Perhaps you should show it off at the next meeting?" suggested the older man, somewhat sarcastically.

The last meeting they had attended was when Ludwig finally divulged the existence of his secret companion. To say the least, it hadn't gone well.

Gilbert sighed. "Alright, I'm done."

_Your __turn, __West._

_Thank you __for __leaving __me __with __your __mess. __Again. _grumbled Ludwig.

Ludwig cleared his throat. "I'm very sorry. Do you think we could continue this at some other time?"

_You__'__re __going __to __make __me __do __this __again?_

_Shut up!_

Roderich nodded, finishing his coffee. "I suppose so. Think about what I said, alright?"

"I will. Thank you for coming, anyway."

"Of course," replied the Austrian, standing. "I hope we can resolve your situation. You are much better than this." He showed himself to the door.

Ludwig sighed and loosened his tie as the door clicked shut gently.

_I __hate __him._

"I know," murmured the German, sitting down on the couch. "I don't like him either, but we have to put up with him anyway."

There was a long silence between the two brothers.

_I __love __you, __West._

"Ja," sighed Ludwig tiredly. "I love you too."


End file.
